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GREENSBORO — Bill Knight wants his first elected office to be a big one: mayor of the city of Greensboro.

Knight, 69, is a political newcomer, having run for office once.

But his lack of political experience isn’t an issue for his supporters, who say Knight is the man to whip the city’s finances — and its disagreeable elected officials — into shape.

But he will have to defeat incumbent Yvonne Johnson, who has remained popular among some constituents despite the trials of the last two years as mayor.

Knight says, plainly, he can do a better job.

Knight grew up in northeast Greensboro and attended college locally after serving in the Coast Guard.

As a certified public accountant, he started his own firm that later became a part of Sharrard McGee and Co., which today is one of the largest CPA firms in the Triad.

He helped that firm grow by expanding its business in the health care industry and worked to merge medical practices.

“He was very focused on, 'What is our goal? Now, how are we going to get there?’ He really laid out the strategic plan on doing that,” said Alan Scheppmann, managing director at Sharrard McGee, whom said Knight was his mentor.

It’s those accounting skills that supporters say will help Knight pick apart the city budget.

Knight said he would eliminate “tens of millions in wasted tax dollars,” according to one political advertisement.

Knight doesn’t have a line-item plan on how to do that yet, he said. But he said the city should consider where it can save on things such as trash disposal and personnel costs, especially as city expenses increase faster than revenues.

“I hear we need more police officers. Do we?” he said. “It makes me wonder, are we being efficient in how our officers are being used?”

Both mayoral candidates have run polite campaigns, staying away from personal attacks. But Knight has focused on one thing be thinks he can do better than the incumbent: run a smooth meeting.

The City Council has sometimes become unruly in its disagreements over the last two years. Meetings have lasted into the wee hours of the morning, as debates dithered on.

Knight said he would be able to keep people in line and get them to work together.

“We need someone who can build it into a cohesive working unit,” he said.

He led the Cardinal Golf and Country Club when it was a private organization in financial trouble and members had to decide whether to sell, which he cited as an example of his experience in leading through difficult situations.

Darrell Chambers, who served with Knight on the club’s board, said Knight, then president, fended off creditors and was able to lead the group through that tense time.

“He’ll tackle any problem that comes up,” Chambers said. “He is a good listener. He doesn’t jump to conclusions. He weighs all aspects of the situation and then makes a decision.”

Some eyebrows raised after Knight said that former police chief Robert White and current chief Tim Bellamy, who are black, were hired because of race, and former police chief David Wray was forced out because of race, a comment made during a candidate forum.

The point Knight said he was trying to make is that the most qualified person should be chosen for chief.

Knight has been a supporter of Wray, who resigned under pressure after complaints arose that black police officers were being targeted by their own department.

Throughout the campaign Knight has called for better leadership in the city’s problem-addled police department.

Knight says the city should be all inclusive but needs to quit focusing on racial issues and get to work.

Since retiring, Knight spends time playing golf, serving on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission and doing missionary work. If elected, he said he would be a full-time mayor.

“It’s all about, in one word, leadership,” he said.
 

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com